PRESIDENT MARY McAleese yesterday paid tribute to the generations of emigrants who helped make Liverpool "Ireland's other capital city" and told members of the city's Irish community that "the sea between us is not a barrier to our bond of kinship".
In the first engagement of a two-day visit to the city, Mrs McAleese told a gathering at St Michael's Irish centre that she was delighted to visit "that most Irish of English cities, a place which has a special hold on generations of Irish" during its term as European Capital of Culture.
The President outlined how the Irish had featured in the story of Liverpool since at least the 14th century, and noted how an affection for and identification with Ireland had passed down the generations. "Some of the people in this room are two, three, even four generations away from Ireland, yet it is still in their hearts. This is a place where the immigrant heart has grown . . . it marches to the beat of two different drums, one from the old homeland and the other from the new."
Mrs McAleese spoke of the "renaissance" that both Liverpool and Ireland had undergone in recent years. "It is great to see Liverpool blooming and blossoming at the same time that Ireland is blooming and blossoming," she added.
The President toured the centre's heritage room, which was opened in 2007 to celebrate the achievements of Liverpool's Irish population.
The centre is running a year-long programme featuring traditional music, song, dance, art and sport to mark the Irish community's contribution to Liverpool's term as European Capital of Culture. It has received £14,000 (€17,500) in funding from the Irish Government specifically for this purpose.
Mrs McAleese acknowledged the role the Irish had played in the city's cultural history and said much of what Liverpool showcases during its year as European Capital of Culture will draw from "the deep wells of Irish culture".
Later, at a civic reception at Liverpool town hall, Mayor Steve Rotherham said visits such as the President's were a "conspicuous testament to the renaissance of our city". He highlighted the "tremendous impact" the city's Irish community had made on its architecture, music, politics and sport. He gave the example of Paul McCartney and John Lennon, among others. "Had it not been for the potato famine, we wouldn't have had the Beatles," he quipped.
Mrs McAleese told the mayor that people in Ireland "feel Liverpool's pride" at the "transformation and transcendence" the city had achieved. "We bring something special with us to Liverpool's table of plenty," she continued. "We bring the joy of peace and reconciliation, the joy of an Ireland that is content and prosperous."